During this romantic tragedy shortly after Romeo’s banishment Lord and Lady Capulet spring the news on Juliet that she is to marry Paris, a handsome, rich man. Juliet was not pleased with this news because she was already married to Romeo and reacted badly. Her parents were not happy. She argued with her father about his decision and shed her feelings “He will not make me there a joyful bride” as she told her father her dislike of marriage to Paris. But it was her disobedience and lies that led to her death and the famous line “O happy dagger. This is thy sheath. There rust, and let me die”.
Lord and Lady Capulet Juliet’s bossy, ruling parents were partly responsible for keeping the ancient feud alive and never tried to end it. The pair did not care about Juliet’s feelings and didn’t take in the thoughts of their own daughter caring more about money and themselves. During the story they didn’t care about Juliet’s opinion on anything especially the situation of her and Paris. When they told Juliet about Paris they didn’t understand why she was turning down a perfectly good man and they both were furious about this. They got to the extent of anger where Lord Capulet exploded with rage shouting “Hang thee young baggage, disobedient wretch! I tell thee what – get thee to church a Thursday or never after look me in the face” showing how serious he was about the topic and how short tempered he was. It was their thoughtlessness and uncaring nature that drove Juliet to go along with the Friars plan and fake her death evidently leading to her true death.
Romeo’s parents Lord and Lady Montague were also partly responsible for keeping the family feud alive and didn’t take notice of Romeo’s feelings. Although they were not as pushy and ruling as Juliet’s parents Romeo still had problems with them. Romeo did not feel he could approach them with a problem and if they had been more understanding Romeo would not have had to keep secrets from them.
When Romeo killed Tybalt for murdering his good friend Mercutio, Lord Montague defended his son. He believed that killing Tybalt was a good thing for Romeo to do; he defended Romeo by saying “his fault concludes but what the law should end, the life of Tybalt.” Lord Montague believed that banishment was a harsh punishment for killing Tybalt, a Capulet. When Romeo poisons himself at the end of the play Lady Montague dies of grief over her young son’s death only for the families to end their rivalry.
Friar Lawrence was a jolly but slightly nosey priest. In the beginning when Romeo informs the friar of Juliet he mocks him as Romeo was in love with young Rosaline just a few days ago. He found it strange that Romeo fell in love with someone new so quickly “Is Rosaline, that thou didst love so dear, so soon forsaken” he said when Romeo told him. Although he found the matter funny he treated it seriously even though Romeo was young and thoughtless. Throughout the story the friar was much too involved in Romeo and Juliet’s life agreeing to marry them without parental permission and being very thoughtless all around.
When Romeo was banished and Lord Capulet arranged for Juliet to marry Paris, she was angry and turned to the Friar for help. The Friar gave a potion to Juliet to put her to sleep and make her look dead “take thou this vial, being then in bed, and thou distilling liquor drink thou off”. But the Friar didn’t think to inform Romeo of the plan himself leaving it to someone else. If he had told Romeo about the plan himself he could have avoided the deaths of Romeo and his love. It was his encouragement of the relationship and his lack of responsibility that led to the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.
Juliet’s loving nurse, like the Friar was too encouraging of the relationship and didn’t take charge and stop the marriage and betrayal of the families. She should have let Juliet’s parents know of their daughter’s feelings and thoughts about Romeo. The nurse even let Juliet spend a romantic night with Romeo; she panicked when morning came “your lady mother is coming to your chamber. The day is broke, be wary, look about” as she hurried Romeo out.
She realised when Romeo had left that if the Capulet’s were to find out about him she would lose her job, reputation and her respect. Juliet’s parents sprung the news on Juliet about her marriage to Paris, now that Romeo had gone the nurse supported her parents. She explained “I think you are happy in this second match for it excels your first” this shows how close she was to her job. Juliet trusted the nurse as if she was her mother; the nurse betrayed Juliet and let her down. It was the nurse’s lies and encouragement that led to the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.
Next is the prince of Verona, the one person that could have stopped the feud with a snap of his fingers. In that time a prince could have made anyone do anything without a refusal. If someone had refused an order of a prince he would have dealt with it seriously. If the prince had acted sooner and made the families work it out the whole incident would have been avoided. He was the town’s leader and could have stopped any feud or argument in a second. Later on in the story when Romeo killed Tybalt the prince banishes Romeo. This punishment was unjust and unfair as it was Tybalt that started the fight. It was the prince’s unjust punishment that led to the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.
Mercutio, Romeo’s best friend had a strong disliking of the Capulet’s, he mocked them and wound them up. He didn’t take Benvolio’s advice on avoiding the Capulet’s as he thought it would seem like they had given up. Mercutio adored arguing and fighting especially with Tybalt; he teased Tybalt and provoked him all the time. Brave Mercutio would never leave a fight if his opponent was left uninjured, he was extremely persistent. It was his attitude towards fighting and quarrels that made any situation worse including the one led to his death.
In the middle of the story shortly after Romeo’s marriage to Juliet Romeo, Benvolio and Mercutio bump into Tybalt who is angry at Romeo for gate crashing the Capulet party. Romeo did not want to fight with Tybalt and refused to draw his sword. In that time it was dishonourable not to fight if you had been asked to dual. Mercutio was not happy with Romeo’s refusal “O calm, dishonourable, vile submission” he said this as he stepped up and decided he would fight Tybalt to honour his friend. He fights with Tybalt until Mercutio is stabbed and falls to the floor. Romeo tends to his dying friend and as Mercutio slowly dies he manages to speak “a plague O’ both your houses!” Romeo was deeply saddened by the murder of his friend but at the same time he is full of rage. Romeo killed Tybalt in anger and was banished. It was Mercutio’s idiotic bravery that led to his own death and eventually the banishment of Romeo.
Tybalt Capulet a bitter young man obsessed with the family feud. Tybalt could not see beyond his own ego and had a very short temper. When he caught Romeo at his uncle’s party he would have killed him on the spot but his uncle stopped him. “It fits when such a villain is a guest, I’ll not endure him”, he spoke to his uncle with such hatred for the Montague’s, but Lord Capulet didn’t want anything to ruin his party. Tybalt promised to have his revenge on Romeo.
When Tybalt ran into Romeo and his two friends he was angry as Romeo refused to fight him. Romeo pleaded for peace Tybalt answered with “What, drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word as I hate hell, all
Montague’s and thee.” When Mercutio stepped in to honour his friend it gave Tybalt his chance to kill the one man that teased and mocked him, and he did. Tybalt killed Mercutio and watched him die in Romeo’s arms. Romeo was infuriated by Tybalt and avenged his friend by angrily killing Tybalt. It was Tybalt who killed Mercutio and it was Tybalt who started the fight when Romeo didn’t want to.
Fate, everyone has destiny but not everyone’s destiny is a joyful one.
Fate was truly against Romeo and Juliet from the beginning of the story. It was Romeo who predicted he would die for love; this prediction became reality in the end. Peter, a young man unable to read asked Romeo to read the Capulet ball guest list. If Romeo did not recognise Rosaline’s name on the list he never would have met beautiful Juliet. When the Friar heard that Romeo was desperately in love with Juliet he thought the love would bring the two feuding families together when it was their death that did so. It was fate that brought them together and it was fate that killed them.
I come to a conclusion of who is to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet? Throughout the story, with every character, a common pattern forms. The one common factor that led to the deaths of the two young lovers is the ancient family feud. The family feud is a strong argument and at any point it could have been stopped. So I blame everyone who could have stopped the family feud, from Lord and Lady Capulet to The Prince of Verona. If the feud was settled long before, the families would be at peace and Romeo and Juliet could have declared their love to each other and not kept their love secret. The parents of Romeo and Juliet could have settled the argument the Prince could have made the families be in peace with each other. That is my conclusion to my Romeo and Juliet essay.
